Biodiversity of agricultural lands in Russia : current state and trends

The report reviews a specific, usually ignored aspect of agricultural lands existence - their role in biological and landscape diversity conservation. The report summarizes the impact of agriculture on biodiversity and the usefulness of biodiversity for commercial use of lands. Particular attention is given to the current situation and trends witnessed in the last decade. In accordance with the objectives of the report the political aspects of the problem of agricultural lands' biodiversity conservation are identified; most of them are due to the fact that this problem is completely misunderstood by society. Finally, the report outlines the position of environmental non-governmental organizations on the issue of agricultural lands' biodiversity conservation which was mainly expressed at the Pan-European High-Level Conference on Agriculture and Biodiversity (Paris, June 2002).